Brutus knew exactly what he had done.

He had someone keep watch over Emma's door at all times, lingering even until late night, just to ensure that William wouldn't slip into her room unnoticed.

His mother had reminded him—repeatedly—how important it was to keep Emma free of any stain. And among all the possibilities Brutus could imagine, there was only one cause he believed capable of corrupting her.

This blond bastard.

That was why, when he heard that someone had sneaked into Emma's room, Brutus hadn't delayed even a second before knocking at her door.

And now, both men stood face to face, their auras edging toward something dangerous, something volatile enough to ignite at the slightest provocation.

Rationally speaking, Brutus knew he was wrong. He knew his actions crossed a line. But if being wrong was what it took to fulfill his mother's wish, then so be it.

The air turned heavy beneath their aether, thick enough to press against the chest.

William held a thin smirk, his eyes fierce now.

Until moments ago, he had been speaking carefully, tightly, because Brutus had appeared like a genuine admirer of Emma's skills—someone earnest, perhaps even respectable. However, what William saw in those violet eyes now wasn't admiration.

It was obsession.

Emma tightened her grip around William's hand and looked straight at Brutus.

"I really judged you wrong, Brutus," she said calmly. "Thanks to this little drama, I now know I don't belong in that team."

Brutus's fierce front crumbled at her words. His shoulders stiffened before he instantly turned toward Emma and lowered his head.

"I-I apologize if I've spoken beyond my boundaries, Miss Emma," he said hurriedly. "It's just… the incident with my sister has made me paranoid of anyone trying to sneak into a girl's room late at night."

Both Emma and William froze.

They had heard from Natalie about what had happened—how Brutus's sister had nearly been assaulted by their former headmaster.

Emma shared a glance with William. He looked just as uncertain as she felt.

In the end, the silver-haired girl spoke first.

"Raise your head."

Brutus slowly lifted his gaze. His eyes glistened with moisture he was clearly struggling to keep contained.

William felt a faint bitterness rise within him, a memory stirring—an incident he didn't want to think about, didn't want to acknowledge.

Emma shook her head lightly before saying, "Please return to your room. And don't interfere with my personal life again."

Brutus nodded immediately. Before leaving, he turned toward William and bowed his head slightly.

"I am sorry if I crossed my line."

With those words, Brutus turned away and began walking down the path, his footsteps echoing faintly before fading into silence.

William exchanged a glance with Emma, still standing at her doorstep.

"Well," he muttered, rubbing the back of his head, "that was a strange interaction."

Emma sighed. "What are you going to do? Want to stay a little longer?"

She felt a sudden wave of shyness wash over her as memories of what had happened only moments ago resurfaced, leaving her far more worked up than she cared to admit.

William exhaled slowly. "I need to leave in about half an hour."

Emma's brows rose. "Mission?"

William nodded. "It appears we're the only ones being sent right away."

Emma nodded in understanding. "The other groups didn't even bother holding meetings, given they weren't assigned anything yet."

William crossed his arms. "Is this her way of getting back at me? By throwing me into an emergency mission right off the bat?"

Emma shrugged. "Or maybe it's her way of saying she trusts your abilities above everyone else's."

William gave a wry smile. "That's a positive way of putting it."

Emma smiled back. "Before doing something important and dangerous, you need to keep your mind clear—and positive."

William let out another sigh. "Aren't you worried?"

Instead of answering directly, Emma stepped closer and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"If I suddenly started tearing up and begged you not to go," she said softly, "wouldn't that just make things harder for you?"

William lowered his head slightly, a smile lifting the edges of his lips. One of his hands rested lazily against her waist.

"How do you always know when—and what—to say?" he asked, his voice carrying an innocent note.

Emma tilted her head, her silver hair cascading down her left shoulder.

"While you can hear the thoughts of others," she murmured, "I can hear what your heart says."

William pulled back a little, squinting his left eye. "Kinda cheesy, no?"

Emma huffed. "Still no match for you."

William chuckled before pulling her closer and planting a soft kiss on her forehead.

They stayed in each other's arms for a few more minutes before William reluctantly stepped away and returned to his room.

Watching him enter his cabin, Emma let out a quiet sigh.

She had done well in keeping her composure—even though she was far from calm.

After all, William was going to operate near a Class IV Death Sink.

Even with troops assigned to handle the Devils, being anywhere near such a place could easily draw the attention of a high-ranking devil.

Emma knew William had survived countless life-and-death situations in the past. But after what had happened recently in the dungeon, her worry had only grown.

It felt as though he had gained some kind of trouble magnet—one that should have stuck with Kevin instead.

'I wish… just this once, something not unexpected happens,' she thought. 'And you return to me without a single scratch.'

°°°°°°°°

As decided, Mia and Angelica were already waiting for William near the entrance of the island.

The third member of their team—the one who was supposedly acting as their leader—was nowhere to be seen.

"God," Angelica muttered as she stopped pacing. "How do you even tolerate that guy?"

Mia gave a wry smile. "This is my first time working with him too. But from what I've seen, he's a very capable leader. He even led several students from different academies during the contest."

Angelica narrowed her eyes. "Are you sure you didn't just hear rumors? He doesn't give off the vibe of someone who works well in a team."

Mia shrugged. "I heard it from a trusted friend—Gizel, to be precise. And… you're not wrong about him not being a team player. He did challenge the dungeon alone, after all."

Angelica's eyes sharpened. "So it's true?"

Mia nodded. "I witnessed the trial with my own eyes. And you know what? That was his first trial in all three years at the academy."

Angelica blinked. "And the authorities allowed that?"

"They did," Mia replied. "Because he proved that being alone was enough."

Angelica hummed, clearly surprised, her expression a mix of disbelief and reluctant admiration.

After a brief pause, Mia spoke again. "I've heard quite a bit about your classmate too."

Angelica didn't need to ask. "Brutus, right? Who hasn't heard of him?" She sighed. "He's basically the academy's mascot now. A courageous citizen in the eyes of the public, an admirable figure among students, and a fearsome devil hunter in the making."

Mia nodded. "I've read about him a few times."

Angelica nodded back—then suddenly froze.

She had sensed someone approaching from her left.

Turning her head, she saw a familiar figure walking toward them. Mia followed her gaze and stiffened.

"Thanks for waiting," William said casually. "Shall we go?"

Angelica scoffed but swallowed whatever remark she had been about to make.

Mia nodded quickly, hoping to prevent any argument before it even started.

The three of them moved toward the massive entrance of the island, where a soldier checked the parchment bearing Guinevere's permission.

After a brief inspection, the soldier nodded. "The aether rail is waiting for you on the other side of the bridge. It will take you directly to your destination. Please hurry—you're already running late."

William rolled his eyes faintly as he heard someone snicker behind him.

Taking the parchment back, he glanced once at both girls. With a short nod, they all broke into a sprint across the bridge.

It took less than five minutes to reach the other side, where a single coach awaited them, levitating a few feet above the ground.

Without exchanging a word, they boarded.

Not long after, the scenery outside began to blur and shift.

"Waaah—!" Mia grabbed the seat as the coach lurched forward.

There was no doubt they were traveling far faster than usual.

William frowned.

This urgency—did it mean they were truly needed? Or was it simply because only one coach was using the rail line?

He leaned toward the latter explanation. After all, the Great Hall wouldn't rely on three inexperienced youths to clean up a serious mess.

As the forest rushed past and the destination drew nearer, William closed his eyes and focused.

For this mission, he hadn't brought his blade. He intended to rely on his usual source of offense and defense.

Sorcery.

Not that the sword had become so integral to him that he'd be helpless without it.

'Something tells me this mission is going to be a lot more than we're anticipating.'

A slow grin formed on his lips, eyes still closed, as he regulated Nyx and Aether within his body—preparing himself for what promised to be an eventful night.

°°°°°°°°°°

A/N:

So yeah… this book is failing too.

I honestly don't know what went wrong. This is, by far, the most planned and detailed work I've ever written—and yet, it feels like it's only getting worse with each passing day.

Anyway, thanks for reading. Drop a comment

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